Luminous electric clock



Allg- 1964 J. J. KROON 3,145,526

LUMINOUS ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed July 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 29 23 32 316 [5b 20 2/ 22 H 12 I824 v 14 1 19 33 v, ,1: fl* 3,5 4o 42 3o 35 37 //oFIG. 2

INVENTOR BY JOHN J. Kaoou ATTORNEYS 25,1964 J. J. KRQON 3,145,526

LUMINOUS ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed July 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BYJOHN KROON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,145,526 LUMINOUS ELECTRICCLGCK John I. Kroon, 1415 W. Troy, Ferndale 20, Mich. Filed July 13,1961, Ser. No. 123,742 12 Claims. (Cl. 58-50) This invention relates toluminous electric clocks and particularly to control means associatedwith a conventional electric clock movement for indicating time onstationary luminous indicia.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved luminouselectric clock.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a clock which issimpler in construction and operation than prior art clocks.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a clock having anovel synchronizing mechanism between the minute and hour indicia.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a clock embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a clock face used in association with themechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG.1.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic wiring diagram of the circuit of the clockembodying the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a control body 9 is mounted concentricallyon the face of a standard electric clock movement housing 10. Thecontrol body 9 is made of electrically non-conductive material andremains stationary, being aflixed to clock mechanism housing 10. Aresilient commutator brush 11 of electrical conducting material isaflixed to driver plate 12 as by welding at 13. Driver plate 12 ispressed on minute hand arbor 14 of the clock movement 10. Commutatorbrush 11 has a curved end as shown bearing against a pin 15. Twelveequally spaced pins 15 are arranged in a circle on the periphery offlange 17 of body 9. Pins 15 serve as switch points for the minuteindicia 25 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). As minute hand arbor 14 rotates in aclockwise direction, brush 11 moves substantially in a straight line inthe direction indicated by the arrow adjacent brush 11 in FIG. 1. Aftera five minute interval, brush 11 will have moved in the direction of thearrow to a position where one pin 15 no longer affords support. It isduring this time of substantially linear movement that brush 11 isstressed in a manner which causes it to advance instantly to the nextadjacent pin 15 when the previous pin 15 no longer affords support. Thisaction is repeated at each pin 15 as brush 11 is advanced in a clockwisedirection.

A disk 18 of electrically conducting material is rotatably mounted onthe hour hand arbor 159. Disk 18 is formed with twelve equally spacedlatch holes 20 about its periphery. A spacer 42 insures the properpositioning of disk 18.

A resilient curved brush 21 of electrically conducting material is shownsecured to disk 18 as by welding at 22. Brush 21 is similar in functionto brush 11, and is shown bearing against a pin 23 which is one oftwelve equally spaced pins 23 which extend radially inwardly fromsurface 24 of flange 17. Pins 23 serve as switch points for the hourindicia 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

All pins 15 and 23 are electrical conductors and are insulated from eachother, being mounted in non-conducting control body 9.

Brushes 11 and 21 are both grounded electrically through the shafts andgearing of clock movement 10.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that there are twelve equally spacedminute indicia 25 arranged in an annular series on face 27 which may bemounted on body 9 or remotely therefrom. The twelve hour indicia 26 arealso arranged in an equally spaced annular series, but the hour indicia26 form a smaller circle inside the circle of the minute indicia 25. Theminute indicia 25 are so controlled that only one is in the circuit atany given time. .The hour indicia 26 are similarly controlled. Therelative distances from the center of the clock face 27 of the hour andminute indicia suggest the difference in the length of the hands on astandard clock. Numerals 28 may be provided on the clock face inaddition to indicia 25, 26.

Since no traveling hands are employed on the face 27 of this clock, andsince there are only twelve hour indicia 26, and only twelve minuteindicia 25, provision is made for one instantaneous change per hour inthe hour indicia 26, and one such change per five minute interval in theminute indicia 25. In order to resemble the operation of a conventionalclock face the hour reading should advance one position at the sameinstant that the minute reading advances from the half hour pastposition to the twenty five minute before the hour position.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an arm 29 is pressed onto and rotates withhour hand arbor 19. A tension spring 30 is connected at one end to arm29 and at its opposite end to a bracket 31 which is welded to disk 18.Tension spring 30 is prestressed so that it tends to urge disk 18 in aclockwise direction, but is prevented from doing so by a stop 32, whichis welded to disk 18.

A trip lever 33 is shown secured to the end of a radial shaft 34 which,in turn, is mounted in bearing 35 that is formed integrally with orsecured to control body 9. The other end of shaft 34 is bent at a rightangle into a trip lever leaf 36, the extreme end of which is bent intoan axially extending hook 37 (see FIG. 4). A tension spring 38 isconnected at one end to trip lever 33 and at its opposite end to abracket 39 that is formed integrally with or secured to control body 9.Spring 38 thus yieldingly urges hook 37 through a hole 40 in body 9against disk 18.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, disk 18 must rotate approximately twentydegrees in a clockwise direction from the position shown before a latchhole 20 presents itself to hook 37. When a latch hole 20 presents itselfto hook 7, spring 38 causes the end of hook 37, which is contacting theunderside of disk 18 to enter latch hole 20, thereby restraining furtherrotation of disk 18. Since hour hand arbor 19, arm 29 and disk 18 rotate4 as fast as minute arbor 14, it follows that minute arbor 14 will haverotated 240 while hour arbor 19 has advanced twenty degrees. During thistime, brush 21 has been in contact with pin 23, since brush 21 isresilient and of such length that it maintains contact with pin 23through several degrees of rotation.

After the above latched condition is reached, arm 29 continues to rotatewith arbor 19. Arm 29 acting through spring 30 tends to urge disk 18 torotate with arm 29. However, while the hook 37 is engaged with a latchhole 20, spring 30 is prevented from rotating disk 18. Brush 11 alsocontinues to advance from pin to pin on surface 17 in a clockwisedirection. When brush 11 rotates an additional and makes contact withpin 15a arm 29 will have advanced approximately ten degrees ahead ofdisk 18 which is restrained by hook 37 through the lostmotion connectionbetween the disk 18 and arm 29. However, as brush 11 flips or jumps frompin 15a to pin 15b, it engages trip lever 33 and swings it against theaction of spring 38. Such action causes hook 37 to be removed from latchhole 241 and allows spring 30 to rotate disk 18 through the ten degreesby which it has lagged behind arm 29. Brush 21 is of such length andresilience that ten degrees of rotation permits it to jump to. the nextpin 15b or switch point on surface 24. After trip lever 33 is moved outof the path of brush 11 as it moves from pin 15a to pin 155, spring 38returns the trip lever 33 to a position where the end of hook 37contacts the undersurface of disk 18 so it is in position to engage thenext hole 20. This brush 21 always advances one position each time brush11 reaches pin 15b.

The electric circuit is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5. Electriccurrenttissupplied from a source indicated by posts 43 and 44 andthrough loads 45, 46, 41 and 48 to continuously operate thesynchronousmotor of electric clock movement lit. Electric current aisoflows from post 44 through leads 48 and 49 to ground. Since brushes 11and 21 are grounded through the clock movement housing 10, a circuit iscompleted to pins or switch points 15 and 23 through minute indicia andhour indicia 26, dropping resistors 52, through leads 53 and 54 and leadto post 43. ,Indicia 25, 26 may comprise lamps such as light bulbs, neonlights or other electrically energized signal means.

Although minute indicia are provided at five minute positions, it can beappreciated that minute indicia can also be provided at minuteintervals.

I claim:

1. For use with a conventional electric clock movement havingconcentrictminute arbor and hour arbor, the combination comprising afirst resilient electrical contact brush mounted on the minute arbor forrotation therewith, a disk rotatably mounted on the hour arbor, a secondresilient electrical contact brush mounted on said disk for rotationwith said disk, a plurality of circumferentially spaced electricalcontact members associated with each of said brushes, luminous indiciameans associated with each said contactmember, yieldable means extendingbetween said hour arbor and said disk tending to rotate said disk, meansfor releasably mechanically locking said disk in one of a plurality ofangular positions, said means actuated by engagement with said firstbrush once during each revolution thereof to release said locking meansand permit said disk to rotate a predetermined angular distance.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means interposedbetween said hour arbor and said disk comprises a tension spring.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said last-mentionedmeans includes an arm fixed on said hour arbor and extending radiallyoutwardly therefrom, one end of said tension spring being connected tosaid arm and the other end of said tension spring being connected tosaid disk, and a stop fixed to said disk and engaging said arm forlimiting the movement of said disk toward said arm.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for lockingsaid disk comprises a latch, means for yieldingly urging said latch intoengagement with said disk, said latch having a portion thereof adaptedto be engaged by said minute brush to disengage the latch from the disk.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said circumferentiallyspaced contact members cooperating with said first brush comprisecircumferentially spaced pins extending axially.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said circumferentiallyspaced contact members associated with said second brush comprise aplurality of pins extending radially inwardly toward said second brush.

7. For use with a conventional electric clock movement having concentricminute arbor and hour arbor, the combination comprising a body ofelectrical insulating material adapted to be mounted on the housing of aclock movement, said body having an opening therein through which thehour arbor and minute arbor of the clock movement extend, said bodyincluding an axially extending peripheral flange, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced contact members mounted on said flange andextending axially therefrom, a resilient electrical contact brushmounted on said minute arbor and adapted to successively engaged saidcontact members, a disk rotatably mounted on said arbor and extendingwithin said flange of said body, a second resilient electrical contactbrush mounted on said disk, a plurality of circumferentially spacedcontact members mounted on said fiange and extending radially inwardlytoward said hour arbor, said second contact brush adapted to selectivelyand successively engage said radial contacts, said disk being formedwith a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes near the outer edgethereof, a latch mounted on said body and having an end adapted toselectively engage said holes, means for resiliently urging said latchinto engagement with said holes, said latch having a portion, thereofextending into the path of said first mentioned brush whereby said latchis disengaged from said disk once during each revolution of said brush,and resilient means extending between said disk and said hour arbortending to rotate said disk.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said means interposedbetween said hour arbor and said disk comprises a tension spring.

9. For use with a conventional electric clock movement having concentricminute arbor and hour arbor, the combination comprising a firstresilient electrical contact brush mounted on the minute arbor forrotation therewith, a member rotatably mounted on the. hour arbor, asecond resilient electrical contact brush mounted on said member forrotation with said member, a plurality of circumferentially spacedelectrical contact members associated with each of said brushes,luminous indicia means associated with each said contact member,yieldable means extending between said hour arbor and said membertending to rotate said member, meansfor releasably mechanically lockingsaid member in one of a plurality of angular positions, said meansactuated by engagement with said first brush once during each revolutionthereof to release said locking means and permit said member to rotate apredetermined, angular distance.

10. For use with a conventional electric clock movement havingconcentric minute arbor and hour arbor, the combination comprising abody of electrical insulating material adapted to be mounted on thehousing of a clock movement, said body having an opening therein throughwhich the hour arbor and minute arbor of the clock movement extend, saidbody including an axially extending peripheral flange, a first set ofcircumferentially spaced contact members mounted on said flange andextending axially therefrom, a resilient electrical contact brushmounted on said minute arbor and adapted to successively engage saidcontact members, a disk rotatably mounted on said arbor and extendingwithin said flange of said body, a second resilient electrical contactbrush mounted on said disk, a second set of circumferentially spacedcontact members mounted on said flange, said second contact brushadapted to selectively and successively engage said second contacts,said disk being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spacedholes near the outer edge thereof, a latch mounted on said body andhaving an end adapted to selectively engage said holes, means forresiliently urging said latch into engagement with said holes, saidlatch having a portion thereof extending into the path of said firstmentioned brush whereby said latch is disengaged from said disk onceduring each revolution of said brush, and resilient means extendingbetween said disk and said hour arbor tending to rotate said disk.

11. For use with a conventional electric clock movement havingconcentric minute arbor and hour arbor, the combination comprising abody of electrical insulating material adapted to be mounted on thehousing of a clock movement, said body having an opening therein throughwhich the hour arbor and minute arbor of the clock movement extend, afirst set of circumferentially spaced contact members mounted on saidbody, a resilient elec trical contact brush mounted on said minute arborand adapted to successively engage said contact members as the minutearbor rotates, said engagement comprising a sliding movement relative tosaid contact members followed by a movement past said contact members, adisk rotatably mounted on said arbor within said contact members, asecond resilient electrical contact brush mounted on said disk, a secondset of circumferentially spaced contact members mounted on said body,said second contact brush adapted to selectively and successively engagesaid second contacts, luminous indicia means associated with each saidcontact member, yieldable means extending between said hour arbor andsaid disk tending to rotate said disk, means for releasably mechanicallylocking said disk in one of a plurality of circumferential positions,said means actuated by engagement with said first contact brush onceduring each revolution thereof to release said locking means and permitsaid disk to rotate a predetermined angular distance.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said locking meanscomprises a latch mounted on said body,

said disk being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spacedholes near the outer edge thereof, said latch having an end adapted toselectively engage said holes, means for resiliently urging said latchinto engagement with said holes, said latch having a portion thereofextending into the path of said first brush whereby said latch isdisengaged from said disk once during each revolution of said firstbrush.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,774,579 White Sept. 2, 1930 2,193,992 Vissing Mar. 19, 1940 3,022,626Grow Feb. 27, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,262 Great Britain AD. 1899 534,434Italy Oct. 17, 1955

1. FOR USE WITH A CONVENTIONAL ELECTRIC CLOCK MOVEMENT HAVING CONCENTRICMINUTE ARBOR AND HOUR ARBOR, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A FIRSTRESILIENT ELECTRICAL CONTACT BRUSH MOUNTED ON THE MINUTE ARBOR FORROTATION THEREWITH, A DISK ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE HOUR ARBOR, A SECONDRESILIENT ELECTRICAL CONTACT BRUSH MOUNTED ON SAID DISK FOR ROTATIONWITH SAID DISK, A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED ELECTRICALCONTACT MEMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID BRUSHES, LUMINOUS INDICIAMEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SAID CONTACT MEMBER, YIELDABLE MEANSEXTENDING BETWEEN SAID HOUR ARBOR AND SAID DISK TENDING TO ROTATE SAIDDISK, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY MECHANICALLY LOCKING SAID DISK IN ONE OF APLURALITY OF ANGULAR POSITIONS, SAID MEANS ACUTATED BY ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID FIRST BRUSH ONCE DURING EACH REVOLUTION THEREOF TO RELEASE SAIDLOCKING MEANS AND PERMIT SAID DISK TO ROTATE A PREDETERMINED ANGULARDISTANCE.